


Ideal Cut

by abnegative



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Hair Dyeing, Hair Kink, Hair Washing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-19 15:01:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22712644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abnegative/pseuds/abnegative
Summary: The prompt says it all!Jisoo just wanted to get his hair done....
Relationships: Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Kim Mingyu
Comments: 4
Kudos: 72
Collections: Seventeen Rare Pair Fest: Round 1





	Ideal Cut

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SVTRarePairFest](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SVTRarePairFest) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Mingyu is a hair stylist and Jisoo is the client who falls for him and panic-switches to a different stylist. It's not what Mingyu thinks — Jisoo doesn't want to try asking Mingyu out when he's still one of his clients. 
> 
> Things to consider:  
> \- Jisoo trying to make small talk with Mingyu during an appointment like "so it's really cold out"  
> \- Chan as another stylist in the salon, teasing Mingyu about his crush  
> \- Mingyu hearing Jisoo speak English and being impressed and a little confused. Jisoo answering "how do you know English?" with "it was an accident"

Hong Jisoo was a man long overdue. He’d been living in Korea for exactly three months, one week and two days, and he’d been putting it off ever since he arrived. It was longer than ever and he even had to pull it back with a little headband while he worked. The ends were split and his dark roots were showing and it had gone too far.

He needed a haircut.

He walked along the busy street near his office swathed in a thick winter coat. He was working as a very much in demand stylist and making the move from LA was the best thing he ever did for his career. The work was steady and the competition was minimal and magazine editors seemed to like the novelty of having a ‘foreign perspective’ whatever that meant to them at the time. To Jisoo it meant dressing pretty models in pretty clothes and taking home a pretty paycheck each week.

Spas and boutiques and cafes lined the road in the upscale fashion district. Jisoo kept walking until he stopped and stared across the road. The building that caught his eye was mostly nondescript, light grey exterior and wide windows, but it was the sign that caught his attention. In bright candy pink the English words ‘Ideal Cut’ stood stark against the streets of Seoul and he felt himself drawn to go in. A hint of homesickness bit at his insides and he wondered if anyone in there actually spoke English, or maybe was a foreigner like him.

He pushed the door, expecting the tinkle of a bell, but it slid smooth and silent. A classy looking waiting area sat in front of a tall front desk where a young man smiled at him. He was sharp eyed and dark haired, tattoos decorating one whole arm and a stud in one eyebrow blinking under the light. He was handsome and charismatic and Jisoo felt drawn to him immediately. He looked like he could be a foreigner. Jisoo hadn’t seen too many people around with so many tattoos or piercings.

“Hello,” he said brightly in English, “could I get an appointment please?” The young man looked confused before turning and walking away. “Okay,” Jisoo said to himself, “that went well....” and when he looked up his breath caught in his chest. 

Jisoo worked in fashion, with models and idols and actors all day. He worked with the prettiest people in Seoul on a daily basis and he’d never ever seen anyone this good looking. The man in front of him was easily 6ft tall, bronzed and gleaming with skin like buttery caramel, his chiseled jaw and brow like an Ancient Greek statue. He smiled at Jisoo revealing a row of white and weirdly pointy teeth with just gave his stunning good looks a cute boyish charm.

“Hello?” the man said, his English heavily accented, “hello I’m fine thank you and you?” 

Jisoo swooned. 

He was gorgeous and absolutely adorable to top it off. “I- ah, I would like an appointment please,” Jisoo stammered out and at the man’s scowl of confusion switched to Korean. “Sorry, can I get an appointment please? I assumed by the name on the front of the building you might be foreigners.” The man’s face lit up immediately. “You’re foreign? Wow, American?” His enthusiasm was palpable and Jisoo’s mind presented him with an image of a big happy puppy wagging its tail. “Come on through.”

He seated Jisoo in a black leather chair in front of a mirror. “So the sign?” Jisoo asked and the young man with the tattoos began to laugh wildly as he pushed a broom. “That was Mingyu’s mistake. He wanted the place to seem ‘cool’ and he used Google Translate.” The kid was beside himself with amusement as he swept. “It was supposed to say Perfect Cuts but hyung here messed it up!”

“Chan,” the tall man whom Jisoo deduced to be Mingyu whined at his junior. “It was an accident. Stop telling people or I’m cancelling your apprenticeship and you can go down the road and do perms on old ladies.” The younger stopped laughing but the mirth in his eyes remained as he finished sweeping and disappeared into a back room.

A skinny guy with a black mullet laughed from the corner where he was working dark dye into the shoulder length hair of a beautiful looking man with an angelic face. “Don’t you laugh Hao you can barely speak Korean!” The shots were flying now and the man called ‘Hao’ smirked behind his chair.

“So,” the tall man let his fingers wander as he pulled gently at the strands around Jisoo’s face, “what do you want today? Freshen this colour and just a trim or you want a full restyle?” Jisoo’s brain had gone wandering as he enjoyed the sensual feeling of Mingyu’s fingers pulling at his hair. “Um - w..w-what do you think?” was all his brain could come up with. “Me?” Mingyu leaned a little closer and hot breath fanned across the back of Jisoo’s nape. “Honestly I think you’ve got a face that could pull off anything.” 

Jisoo felt hot all over.

“Well I-I’ve has this hair for a while, it was actually pink believe it or not, a-and I’m thinking of going dark again...” Jisoo swore internally. He couldn’t handle this. The guy staring at him in the mirror was now caressing his hair, thick fingers trailing through his stressed locks, dragging the pads of his fingertips across Jisoo’s sensitive scalp. He felt every single nerve ending flare into life and he wanted to close his eyes and nuzzle into the big firm hand like a cat.

“Do you know what I think would look good?” Mingyu whispered as he leaned in even closer and Jisoo was basically about to offer him his firstborn child. His mouth hung open as Mingyu’s lips drew closer to his ear and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head. “Blue.”

Jisoo just nodded dumbly as Mingyu went to mix the colour.

“He’s cute,” Chan said as soon as Mingyu was ensconced in the back room. “Cute? Are you kidding? He’s gorgeous. And....” Mingyu giggled with excitement, “he just said I could dye his hair blue.” He grabbed his apprentice by the arm and shook him as he giggled.

“Chan!” Mingyu’s eyes were sparkling like little galaxies as he pulled the tubes of colour and activator from the shelf. “Chan he‘s so cute and American!” “Can’t believe I had to tell that story about the sign again Hyung,” Chan put the broom away and moved over to watch Mingyu mix the chemicals in the right proportions. 

Mingyu put the bowl of colour on his trolley and wheeled it over to where Jisoo was sitting patiently. “Sorry about the wait,” he said as he tucked a towel around the back of Jisoo’s neck and wrapped a cape around his front. “How does that feel?” Mingyu carefully buttoned the cape and made sure it wasn’t too tight. “It’s fine,” Jisoo said and a silence descended over them as Mingyu pulled on some gloves and grabbed the colour.

“Been here long?” Mingyu asked and Jisoo shook his head. “A few months.”

The silence between them was thick and still and Jisoo could see the apprentice back out with his broom pretending not to listen.

“S-so, um, it’s really cold out....” Jisoo had to try and break it and the hairstylist shook his head. “Wait until winter really hits then you’ll know cold.”

A little more silence wrapped them in it’s heavy blanket of awkwardness. This time it was the apprentice who broke it. “Would you like coffee? Or tea?” he asked politely and Jisoo nodded. “Yes. Tea please.”

He didn’t know what to say. It didn’t help that the huge hands tugging and rubbing colour through his hair were setting every nerve ending in his body on fire. 

“So what do you do?” 

Jisoo snapped out of his daydream and tried to ignore how close the gorgeous man was to his back. “I’m a stylist,” he said nonchalantly and Mingyu’s hand fumbled the colour bowl with a clatter. “Y-you’re a hairstylist?” he stammered out and Jisoo shook his head. “No, a stylist, you know; clothes and accessories and stuff. Mostly print work for fashion magazines.” “Oh,” Mingyu grinned at that. “Maybe you know my friend Boo Seungkwan? He’s the junior fashion editor at Vogue.” Jisoo nodded his agreement but didn’t think telling the hairstylist his friend was well known for being a bossy perfectionist was going to win him over.

Mingyu packed up his trolley and wheeled it towards the back room to clean up. Chan came over with his tea and Jisoo admired his tattoos again and the thick lines of kohl ringed around his sharp eyes. “When the timer goes off I’ll move you to the wash basin,” he smiled again at Jisoo and put a little ticking timer down in front of the mirror. He slid a few magazines onto the mirror’s shelf next to the tea but Jisoo opted to scroll through his phone instead.

“I’m doing his shampoo.” 

It wasn’t a question. Mingyu stared Chan down as he entered the back room. “Shampoos are my job. Sweep, tea and coffee, shampoo, straighten, braids and blow drys. My jobs.” “I don’t care,” Mingyu hissed a little as he dumped the colour bowls into the sink and grabbed some clean towels. “I’m doing his shampoo Chan. Go watch Minghao cut Jeonghan’s hair and ask him if he wants it straightened.”

Chan huffed a little and Mingyu knew he was going to pay for it eventually. He left the colour bowls for the apprentice to wash later and went to hang around the front desk and pretend he wasn’t enamoured with the man in his chair.

Jisoo jumped a little at the sound of the timer going off. It shook him from his nervous daydream, trying to work out if the gorgeous hairstylist was staring at him, or if all of this was a figment of his imagination. He watched the tall man walk over with a stack of towels and he swore he was blushing. “I’m going to do your shampoo,” he said with more than a little reticence in his voice. At the tingling heat of fingers on his neck Jisoo thought he was going to literally start giggling.

He sat as still as he could as Mingyu carefully wrapped his neck and shoulders in towels and then got up to be led over to the basins. “Please lean back and relax,” Mingyu said with a shy smile and Jisoo nodded. How was he supposed to relax? He’d always felt awkward in this situation, never knowing where to look, if he should close his eyes or try and make small talk. And now, with the hottest guy he’d ever seen leaning over him, he felt like his heart was going to burst right out of his chest.

“Comfortable?” Mingyu asked. “Yeah,” Jisoo lied though his teeth. He could smell the clean fresh scent of Mingyu’s cologne and he could see the way his shirt clung to his waist where it was tucked in at the front of his jeans. The water began to run and as its warmth spilled across his scalp Jisoo’s eyes fluttered closed instinctively. 

“Is it too hot?” 

His smooth honeyed voice crooned over the sound of running water and Jisoo wanted to nod. It was definitely getting hot in here. He hummed a vague no and heard the water stop running. “I’m going to shampoo you now,” Mingyu said and Jisoo heard the click of a bottle cap before a soft fruity scent filled his nostrils. It was so enticing and he opened his eyes briefly to get his bearings.

That was a big mistake. As Mingyu leaned back over him Jisoo could see straight down the front of his shirt. His eyes fixated first on the silver chain dangling across his collarbones before flicking down to enjoy the fine dusting of hair in the crevice made by his collar. When Mingyu moved Jisoo caught a flash of one perfect dark nipple, small and hard, and he quickly closed his eyes and swallowed the lump of guilt forming in his throat.

Thick fingers rubbed the shampoo into his hair, working it into a rich lather, the scent surrounding Jisoo and invading his senses. He exhaled as Mingyu began to massage his scalp, fingertips working hard as they made small circles on his scalp, pulling and tugging at the lengths. He couldn’t see a thing but he could feel Mingyu’s body heat against him, he could feel Mingyu’s leg against his side, dangerously close to having the hairstylists crotch pressed against him. It took all his self control to not writhe and moan aloud under the insistent touch of the gorgeous man’s huge hands.

Shit, was all Jisoo could think, please don’t get an erection. He’ll notice for sure and you’ll never be able to come back here.

He tried to breathe deeply and think unsexy thoughts but it was hard with Mingyu crowded so closely into his personal space. The feeling of his fingers in Jisoo’s hair was wonderful and the words just slipped out accidentally. “You’re really good with your hands,” Jisoo mumbled and cringed when he realised he’d said that out loud. “T-thanks...” Mingyu stuttered and Jisoo was overcome with the urge to jump up and run from the salon, even with his hair full of suds. Why did he always accidentally make things weird?

To his relief Mingyu stopped caressing his scalp and ran the water again. All Jisoo’s self respect flowed down the drain with the strawberry bubblegum suds as he opened his eyes and was met with Mingyu’s blushing expression.

Should I apologise?

No, it’s been too long, you’re about twenty seconds too late.

Jisoo couldn’t wait for the torture to be over.

It wasn’t over. 

Just as Mingyu leaned over to reach the tap he definitely felt his crotch brush against his thigh. It made Jisoo feel hot all over as his mind wandered, wondering how big Mingyu was, how long he could go for. Every other part of him was so big and thick and incredibly satisfactory he couldn’t imagine the man’s cock being a disappointment. 

The water turned off and Jisoo was a little stunned by the gentle pat of a soft towel on his face. He risked it all to open his eyes again and the warmth in Mingyu’s expression made him feel weak. The whiplash was exhilarating, how quickly this stunning man made him swing from wanting to squirm and squeeze his legs together, to this; the softest feeling in the world. 

I bet he cuddles after he fucks you and I bet it feels really good.

Jisoo sighed and closed his eyes again. Mingyu kept patting gently at his face and neck until all the loose drops were captured before wrapping his hair up in yet another towel. “Chan,” he called out and the apprentice materialised out of nowhere to take the wet towels away with the cheekiest smirk Jisoo had ever seen.

“Sit up slowly,” Mingyu grabbed for Jisoo’s hand to help him and he couldn’t stop the giddy grin on his face. “Sometimes people feel light headed after sitting like this,” he offered as an explanation for the grip on Jisoo’s hand and the press against his back as he helped him back into the chair.

The silence as Mingyu blow dried him was a welcome reprieve. Jisoo covertly watched the man move around behind him and smiled as he realised he’d done an excellent job with the colour. It was a beautiful shade of dark blue, black from some angles, and it suited Jisoo’s late autumn skin tone and highlighted his eyes. It was very nice work.

“I love the colour,” Jisoo said when the blow dryer stopped. “Me too,” Mingyu rummaged around in his trolley for his favourite scissors, “I should have taken before and after photos for our Facebook page.” “Next time,” Jisoo answered and Mingyu’s face lit up with the cutest smile Jisoo had ever seen. He was getting a headache. He couldn’t take much more.

The cut went quickly, Mingyu obviously too engrossed in his craft for casual conversation, and when he was done Jisoo almost gasped. It was perfect. Not too long, not too short, shaped nicely around his face, shiny and healthy looking. It was the best haircut he’d ever had.

After a sweep with the little brush that tickled his neck Jisoo was free of the cape and getting to his feet. He followed Mingyu over to the desk where he handed over his credit card and Mingyu charged him much less than he was expecting. “Can I have your full name please,” he clicked at the computer mouse. “Hong Jisoo,” Jisoo said as he put his card away. “And a phone number? Just, you know, so I can enter it into our customer database. Please.” 

Jisoo gave it without reservation.

“What the fuck was that hyung?” Chan at least had the decency to wait until Jisoo left before laughing at Mingyu. “That whole thing was a shit show!” “He’s right,” Minghao chimed in from where he’d been quietly straightening Jeonghan’s hair. “Like, were you trying to rub your dick on him during the shampoo?” Mingyu’s face had turned from a pink flush to full scarlet shame as the other two hairdressers and their favourite customer made fun of him. “It was a fucking accident,” he pouted cutely and it just made them giggle harder.

“Why didn’t you just ask him out?” Jeonghan asked and Mingyu shrugged. “I’m shy Jeonghannie hyung,” he said as he crouched down next to the chair and Jeonghan began to pat his hair. “No you’re not,” Jeonghan smirked at the younger man. “You just like being babied. And you were hoping he would initiative something. Right?” Mingyu nodded as he pressed his face into Jeonghan’s hand and Minghao prodded him with his foot. “You’re in my way,” he said and Mingyu got up from the floor and wiped the hair from his jeans.

“Anyway I got his number didn’t I?” Minghao rolled his eyes so far back they almost fell from his head. “Mingyu you can’t call or text him. He gave you that number under the condition that it was business related. Not personal.” Mingyu’s eyes widened as they flicked from Minghao to Jeonghan and over to Chan who had picked up his broom again. 

He’d fucked up and he knew it.

“Your hair is great,” Junhui said as he sat across from Jisoo in the cafe. It did look great; almost too great. Everywhere he went people commented on it and asked him where he got it done and he told them about Ideal Cut as the mental image of the beautiful hairdresser plagued his waking hours. 

Jisoo picked at his baguette as Junhui sipped at his iced green tea. “Jun, do his think it’s okay to, you know.....” Junhui looked at him quizzically and Jisoo faltered. “Is it okay to what? Jisoo I have to be back on set in twenty minutes so spit it out.”

“Is it okay to ask someone out at their job. Like in a professional setting?” 

Junhui spat his tea before giggling uncontrollably. “Jisoo. I’m a model. All people do is ask me out at work. Is this about the hairstylist?” Jisoo nodded as he disregarded the remains of his lunch. He couldn’t get Mingyu out of his head.

“Why don’t you just ask him out? Switch hairstylists if it’s that weird. Next time you book in ask for the other guy and then ask him out. Easy!” Junhui picked up his water with a satisfied flourish and smiled brightly at his friend. “Do you think?” Jisoo sipped at his iced coffee and Junhui laughed. “Of course it’s that easy.”

“He hasn’t been back yet...” Mingyu whined as he followed Minghao around the salon. “Of course he hasn’t been back. It’s only been a few weeks Mingyu. You should have just asked him out.” “What if he didn’t like his hair?” Mingyu stopped dead in his tracks at his epiphany and Minghao turned to face him. “No. Absolutely not possible. His hair looked awesome.” 

He shook Mingyu gently by the shoulders making the other giggle a little. Minghao sighed as he began to set up his station for the day. Chan walked in with their coffees and as he watched Mingyu jump up and down for his he laughed again. Mingyu was the salon owner and the oldest but he definitely didn’t act like it.

“Maybe I’ll just text him,” Mingyu said as he flicked back through the customer profiles. It was right there, taunting him, Jisoo’s phone number next to the colour combination Mingyu had used on him. “Can’t do that,” Minghao said, “we’ve been over this.” Mingyu smiled to himself. Sure, that number was only for business purposes, but he had a plan.

Jisoo’s phone had been in his bag and he rummaged around to find it. He’d been stuck on set, on location in fact, for six hours and finally had time for a break. He flicked though his texts until he found one from an unknown number.

Thank you for using Ideal Cut salon. Book within two weeks to receive 25% off your total bill. To book an appointment reply to this message.

Jisoo sighed with disappointment. He’d kind of hoped the stunning salon owner would text him but all he’d gotten was this shitty marketing text. It was probably from an automated system. His hand went to finger the ends of his hair, just walking the line between long and too long, and he figured he had nothing to loose. He’d book in again and try to figure out if he had a chance or not. His hands tapped at the screen as he responded, asking for an appointment with Minghao, before someone called his name and he had to toss the phone back into his bag.

“THIS WAS NOT THE PLAN!”

“What the fuck?” Chan looked over at Minghao who shrugged and went back to rubbing bleach into his clients hair. “Hyung? Are you okay?” He walked over to find Mingyu with his head in his hands and his phone on the front counter. “I’m a stupid man,” he groaned into his arm and Chan began to laugh. “Well, hyung, lets be honest we already knew that,” he picked up the phone still open on the messages and stopped laughing when he read them. “Sorry hyung,” he said as he laid a hand on Mingyu’s hair. “I thought he liked you.” “I hoped so,” Mingyu said as he straightened up. “I guess now I know for sure.”

Jisoo was so excited. He’d spent the better part of last night talking himself up as he selected his outfit carefully. Junhui had come over to help him and between them they’d chosen a very skinny pair of black jeans and a chunky pair of combat boots. Everyone in the salon had seemed so cool to Jisoo and he wanted his look to have an edge. Junhui had tried to talk him into a crop top but his confidence wasn’t quite there. He’d settled on a cream cashmere sweater that was short enough to show his ass in the tight jeans and low enough at the front to show the chain around his neck. He tugged at the v neckline to expose a little more collarbone and blushed but committed. He really wanted Mingyu to notice him.

“Hello?” he called out when he walked in and the young apprentice bounded out from the main salon. “Mr Hong!” he grinned from ear to ear as he checked the book. “We have you in with Minghao today. Come through.”

That’s nice, Jisoo thought, the kid remembered his name. 

He settled in the chair and looked around but, to his great disappointment, Mingyu was nowhere to be seen. He tried to crane his neck without being obvious but Minghao appeared behind him and wrapped a cape around his neck. “What do you want to do?” He asked and Jisoo shrugged. He’d mainly come for Mingyu. He hadn’t really thought of what he wanted to do to his hair. 

They stared at each other silently before someone had to speak. “Wanna dye it black?” Minghao asked and Jisoo nodded slowly before changing his mind. “Ah, no actually, can you give me something more natural?” Minghao hummed in agreement and Jisoo cleared his throat. “Um, is Mingyu here today?” His eyes flicked around nervously and Minghao smirked behind him. “Yeah he’s here. He’s just hiding somewhere.”

“Hyung,” Chan whispered as he walked into the back room, “just go out there and say hi. He looks really cute today.” He grinned mischievously at Mingyu, doubled up as he crouched on a chair in the corner, and the man shook his head. “No way. It’s too embarrassing, he hates me.” “He doesn’t hate you,” Chan sighed and ran a hand through his newly bright pink hair. 

“He does. It should be me out there touching his hair....” 

“Creepy hyung, a little bit creepy, but come out of here.” Chan reached a hand out and pulled Mingyu to his feet. “Okay, just let me psych myself up,” he said as he turned to the mirror behind the door. “How do I look?” Chan just rolled his eyes. His annoying hyung was annoyingly gorgeous and he knew it.

The door bounced open and Minghao walked in. “He asked about you,” Minghao said as he walked over to the colour area. “Really?” Mingyu’s eyes widened as he walked over to see what Minghao was mixing. “No, not that,” he grabbed a tube of colour from Minghao’s hand and put it back. His eyes scanned the numbers until he found the one he was looking for. “This is a similar shade but warmer. It will look nice with his eyes.”

Jisoo heard voices and turned expectantly but it was just Minghao coming back with the mixed colour. He relaxed in the chair as Minghao brushed and rubbed the colour into his hair and, while relaxing, it didn’t have the same appeal as Mingyu’s strong fingers coaxing the strands. Minghao finished applying the colour and set the timer and Jisoo just leaned back to relax when he was suddenly there behind him.

Of course, Jisoo thought, now that my sexy fit is covered with a cape and my hair is slicked against my head. 

Now he’s here.

“Hi,” Jisoo said with a shy smile. All his confidence he’d talked himself into flew out of his mind as he stared at how goofy he looked in the mirror. His hair was stuck to his head, covered in dye, and he was completely covered by the huge black cape. “Hi,” Mingyu smiled back. Jisoo admired his outfit, neat black jeans paired with a black button up shirt, and noticed he’d styled his hair differently. It was coiffed up and back from his forehead and looked stunning. 

“I-I’m glad you came back,” Mingyu stammered a little and Jisoo flushed. “You did such a great job. I got a lot of compliments on my hair,” Jisoo said and Mingyu’s smile faded. “Well I’m sure Minghao will do an even better job.” 

Jisoo didn’t have time to reply as Mingyu disappeared into the back room.

“That was kind of rude,” Chan said as he followed his boss through the door. “Oh my God, Chan, I couldn’t help it. He just looked so cute and I wanted to do his hair and it made me sad. And jealous. Why didn’t he like me?” Chan rolled his eyes at his hyung’s dramatic pout. “Maybe he liked you too much. Maybe all that dick rubbing you did on his leg really turned him on....” Chan shut up when his boss lobbed a wet towel straight at his head. “Okay okay.....” he giggled as he turned back towards Mingyu, “but I’m doing his shampoo today and I promise I’m not going to rub my dick on him!”

Jisoo lay back with his head in the sink and closed his eyes. It was a relief to not anxiously scan the room hoping Mingyu would appear again. His mood was becoming more dour with each passing minute and his confidence had sunk to new lows. He just wanted to get his cut and blow dry and get out of there. “Is the water too hot?” Chan asked as he fiddled with the taps and Jisoo tried to smooth his expression. He had no poker face and he didn’t want the young apprentice to think he was doing something wrong.

It just wasn’t the same. It was nice and all but the scalp massage just didn’t have the same effect. Jisoo silently cursed himself for overthinking the situation. At least if he’d booked in with Mingyu he’d be getting another tingly chemistry-laden scalp massage and maybe even the warmth of Mingyu accidentally brushing against his body. Instead he got a close up view of Chan’s tattoos.

They moved over to the chair and Minghao began to cut. Jisoo only needed a trim and it went way too quickly before the stylist was finishing him off with the blow dryer. Jisoo admired the colour, it was perfect and complimented his skin tone and eyes, and he tried to smile at Minghao when he was done. “You don’t like it?” Minghao was obviously despondent at his lacklustre reaction and Jisoo tried to brighten. “I do like it, a lot actually, it’s really nice.” 

His smile never reached his eyes.

He followed Minghao to the counter and waited while he tallied up the charges. “I got the special offer by text,” he said and Minghao just stared at him in confusion. “What special offer?” he asked and Jisoo showed the text on his phone. Minghao began to laugh and Jisoo pulled the phone away. “Oh, that’s just our stupid hyung, he was obviously trying to get you to come back. He thinks you don’t like him because you booked in with me instead so he’s hiding out the back.”

Jisoo’s heart dropped in his chest as he handed over his credit card. He’d fucked up. Why was he so bad at this? “I do like him,” he said softly and Minghao smirked as he handed the card back. “Wait here then. I’ll make the idiot come out and talk to you.”

As soon as Minghao turned his back Jisoo took off out the door. This was so embarrassing. He ducked his head and shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked slowly away from the salon.

“Come out you giant fucking baby,” Minghao said as he walked into the back room to find Mingyu eating a huge cookie. “Carbs? No Mingyu, I thought you were dieting?” Mingyu pouted as he put the cookie down on the table next to him. “I found it in the cupboard and it’s stale.” “I think this is from last August when we had that movie night and Hannie turned up with too many snacks....” Minghao eyed the cookie critically before grabbing it and tossing it towards the bin. “Anyway you’re acting crazy. He likes you. I told him to wait out the front and you would come out of here and talk to him.”

Mingyu’s eyes opened wide before he got up from his chair. “He actually said that?” “Yes, he said he likes you, although right now I have no idea why. You’ve been kind of rude to him.” Minghao pulled him up by his arm as Mingyu groaned. “I’m so bad at this. Fuck. Anyone else would have had a plan for today....” “Like a bunch of roses behind the desk waiting for him? Like artisan chocolates and a hot latte from the coffee shop next door while he waited for his colour?” 

Minghao rambled on and Mingyu realised he was wasting time. “I’m not you Minghao. You’re cool and confident and romantic. I’m just awkward and shy.” Minghao laughed loudly at that and pushed him towards the door. “You’re not shy it’s just an excuse.”

Mingyu looked around and saw an empty waiting area. “Where is he?” he turned back to Minghao who frowned. “He said he was going to wait....”

Jisoo stopped walking and sat on the edge of a garden bed. He should go back, he knew that, he should have just waited and asked Mingyu out. Minghao said he liked him but Mingyu had given him nothing but mixed signals. He sighed and ran a hand through his newly warm brown hair and closed his eyes. He’d just silently talked himself into going back when he heard footsteps and opened his eyes to see Mingyu standing in front of him.

“Hi,” Mingyu said shyly.

“Hi,” Jisoo replied.

“I really thought you didn’t like me because you didn’t want me to do your hair again.”

Mingyu stared at his feet as he scuffed at the ground awkwardly with one huge foot. 

“I-I did want you to. But I thought it would be less awkward if I booked in with someone else....”

Jisoo watched Mingyu’s eyes rise to meet his coyly from under thick dark lashes. “Well your plan didn’t work,” he started laughing and Jisoo did too. “Neither did yours. Minghao told me that 25% off text was a crock of shit!”

As the wind picked up and a chill blew around them the two men laughed until their stomachs hurt. They laughed until there was no more laughter left and it simmered down into soft gentle smiles.

“Can I ask you out now?” Jisoo said and Mingyu glowed with delight. He nodded enthusiastically as his funny pointed teeth peeped out of his happy smile. “Now?” he said and Jisoo laughed again. “Well, not now, I have to go back to work. Can I pick you up at the end of the day and take you for dinner?” 

“That sounds perfect,” Mingyu said, “the salon closed at six.” “Okay, see you then,” Jisoo said awkwardly and Mingyu blushed bright and fresh. “Okay.... see you then Jisoo hyung.”

Mingyu stood in the middle of the footpath and watched Jisoo walk away. Only when he was out of sight did the man turn and run all the way back to the salon. 

“I did it!” he yelled out as Minghao and Chan watched him dance around in the salon. “I mean, actually technically he asked me out, but I still did it!” “Good job hyung,” Chan said as he patted the tall man on the shoulder. 

“Okay, so....” Mingyu stopped his limbs from flailing and turned back to Minghao. “Hao you need to help me with this romance stuff.”


End file.
